Scope and Content Sculptured Cross, St Columba's Graveyard, A' Chill, Canna, Highland, from the west
The remains of an Early Christian chapel dedicated to St Columba stand at A' Chill in the south-east of Canna, the outermost island of a group in the Inner Hebrides known as the Small Isles. The site of the chapel is marked by a finely-sculptured yellow sandstone cross, possibly dating from the 8th or 9th century, which stands in the graveyard surrounding the church. This photograph of the west face of the cross (rear) was taken by Erskine Beveridge in 1895.
The top arm of the cross is broken off, and the right arm is missing. The cross head has a circular panel enclosing four carved circles with a diamond in the centre. The left arm is greatly worn but shows the remains of a plait-work pattern. The shaft is carved in low relief with a series of four interlaced panels that are greatly worn and therefore difficult to decipher. The panel at the top is cut in a diagonal key pattern, and those below show various strange animals with their bodies entwined.
The cross stands on what is probably its original sandstone base-slab, and measures 2.11m in height by 0.54m in width at the base. It is unusual in having an ornamental border, about 100mm thick, which terminates under the arms of the cross in bracket-like projections. The border is carved with an interlaced pattern, composed of a series of knots in a single vertical row which face alternately to the right and left. The border on the south side (right) is broken off except at the base, but appears to have had a similar design.
Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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